Where Memories Lie
by Talking Hawk
Summary: Pippin finds a very special chest of Frodo's. . . No slash.


Where Memories Lie By Talking Hawk  
  
Author's Note: Two things inspired me to write this - seeing the movie "Ever After" last night (it's really good, by the way.), and reading the fanfic "A Star Shines" by Tracy Hemenover at the Barrow Downs (www.barrowdowns.com) today. That's all. =)  
  
"Was dis?" the young Took boy asked. He was three years old, and was having his first glimpse of Bag End without the supervision of his parents and elder sisters. While his cousin was not looking, he managed to wander into Frodo's bedroom. The wooden trunk had found a place in little Pippin's curiosity, and after painstakingly flinging the lid open, he perched his stomach on the top, peering at the box's contents.  
  
He nearly fell inside when he heard two feet stop in the doorway behind him. "PIPPIN!" Before he lost his balance, the voice's owner marched inside, snatching the boy by the hips and picking him up. Blinking innocently at the annoyed hobbit, Pippin replied, "Mesa owny wookin', Fwodo."  
  
The glare in his older cousin's eyes subsided, revealing a look of relieved amusement. Setting Pippin to his hip, Frodo said, "Would you like to look inside?" The furious nodding and bouncing of the boy's curls gave the Baggins his answer, making him laugh. Lowering to his knees, he peered over the chest's edge, holding Pippin over it with his hand on his stomach.  
  
Inside was a neatly folded, sparkling white dress. The light from the window shining on it magically, Pippin's eyes widened in amazement. Frodo smirked and said, "Beautiful, isn't it?" The Took nodded slowly, his eyes transfixed on the garment. "It belonged to my mother, Primula. She wore it when she got married to my fa."  
  
Frodo stopped, noticing a figure in the doorway. It was that of Meriadoc Brandybuck, just having reached is eleventh year. He cocked his head to the side curiously at Pippin, then swept out of the room as quickly as he had entered.  
  
He had been up to this all day - entering and exiting the room Pippin was in. They had spent most of the time on opposite ends of the smials, the older Merry not quite sure if he should befriend the youngster or mark him off as too young to associate with. They had never officially met since that day, Merry's last trip to Hobbiton being back about eight years ago when Pippin's sister Pervinca was born.  
  
It was a simple matter of shyness, and Frodo was bound determined to have it end in a new bond of friendship. Leaving Pippin, the Baggins quickly strode out of the room, calling out, "Merry? How about you come and look at some of my mother's things with us? .Merry?" He disappeared down the hall.  
  
* * *  
  
After a time, Frodo was able to coax the Brandybuck to come back into the room and greet Pippin. Frodo's hand on Merry's shoulder, the pair entered the doorway once more, then stopped, their eyes wide with shock. The elder of the two's mouth fell open.  
  
A beaming hobbit turned to face them, wearing the flowing white gown. The short sleeves suited him, but everything short of the blouse part of it lay strewn across the floor in a great trail. The boy exclaimed, "I'm PUWTY, awen't I?!"  
  
Slapping a hand over his mouth and one over his stomach, Merry tried to smother the fit of laughter that threatened to erupt, but failed miserably. He burst up, tears beginning to form at the corners of his eyes. After a moment, Frodo began to chuckle softly, his surprise melting from his heart.  
  
Crouching down to his knees, his arms held out to the boy, the Baggins laughed, "What on earth possessed you to do *this*?" Smiling, Pippin snatched up the hem of the dress the best he could, and ran toward Frodo's open arms. The trail of the dress followed until.  
  
Rrrrrriiiiiiiiipppppppppppppp.  
  
The sound made Frodo's eyes widen horrifically, his heart skipping a beat. The end of the dress had caught onto the corner of the chest, and when Pippin had pulled on it while he was running.  
  
The young Took now held up part of the dress's trail, gasping as he assessed the damage. A good two feet had been torn, the center of the gasp large enough for him to stick both hands through. He stared at it in alarm.  
  
Without warning, the tears came. Pippin wailed, dropping the fabric, his tiny fists coming to his eyes, attempting to stop the two rivers that appeared. He sobbed and choked, shouting, "I kiwwed youw Maaaammaaaaaa!"  
  
Staring at him a moment, Frodo crawled over to him. Taking the boy in his arms, allowing his cousin to wet his shirt with his tears, Frodo patted the small head of curls. "There, there." he said soothingly. "You didn't kill my mother. She died in a river a long time ago.before you were even born."  
  
Slurping and sniffling, Pippin looked up at him. "No!" he argued. "I wipped hew puwty dwess.it was aww you had weft of hew.and I kiwwed it!" He began crying again, and Frodo smiled softly, doing his best to wipe the boy's cheeks dry.  
  
"It's not all I have left of her, Pip. You didn't kill her, OR the dress."  
  
The tears slowing in their path, Pippin rubbed his fist against his eye once more. "It wasn't.?" Frodo smiled again and shook his head.  
  
"No, Pippin. I still have my memories of her."  
  
Frodo pressed Pippin's head to his chest, resting his chin upon the brown curls. Rocking him back and forth, the younger of the two asked, "Whewe awe dey den? Besides da boxy thingy."  
  
Another smile appeared on the Baggin's lips. "In my heart, Pippin. I pick out my most special memories and put them there for safe-keeping."  
  
The boy forced his head up, peering up at his cousin with wide, curious eyes. "Am *I* in der?"  
  
"Of course," Frodo chuckled, taking his finger and wiping the remnants of the tear stream that had run down the boy's face. "Everyone I love goes in my heart, where I can keep them - always."  
  
"Doz dat mean Mewwy too?"  
  
Merry appeared at Frodo's side, sitting on the legs curled beneath him. The Baggins wrapped his arm around Merry's shoulder, smiling at both of them.  
  
"Both of you, Bilbo, and Sam too. All of you are in my heart for safe- keeping." Content, Pippin curled back into his chest, and Frodo kissed his forehead.  
  
* * *  
  
"Is that your MOTHER'S wedding dress?" a shocked Pippin whispered. Frodo, wearing his best shirt and vest for this special occasion, smiled and nodded. It had taken the Baggins about an hour to choose what he wanted to wear that day - after all, it wasn't every day that your best friend got married.  
  
Rosie walked up the aisle, the flowing white dress cascading across the grass. It looked absolutely gorgeous on her, as all the event's participants believed. The tear that had appeared in it twenty-seven years earlier was now nearly non-existant, presumably sewn up before the wedding.  
  
Beaming with pride, Pippin whispered to the Best Man, "You know.your parents would've been proud of you."  
  
Surprised, Frodo blinked at him. ".What makes you think that?"  
  
Pippin smiled and replied, "Because I am."  
  
Author's Second Note: I hope that didn't sound too hurried. (became teary- eyed while writing it) Ack, stupid obsession with writing little Pippin fluff. _ 


End file.
